"Can we request this domestically using the current procedure manual?"
Products that were manufactured in China
We received an inquiry from someone who wanted to switch to domestic manufacturing due to the impact of tariff friction.
There is a manual created for the local assembly plant.
Is it okay to simply request quotes from local factories in Japan based on this information?
They were worried about that.
If you get an estimate following the procedure manual, the amount won't match.
Instruction manuals for overseas markets specify in detail the division of tasks and the order of processing.
If you commission a local factory in Japan to perform the work in this exact order and sequence,
You may receive a quote that is higher than you expected.
The process itself is not wrong.
The reason the amounts don't match is not because of the contents of the procedure manual,
The problem lies in the way the factory is used, which is the premise of the instruction manual.
The division of the process is determined according to how the equipment is used.
Equipment usage, process divisions, and inspection standards often differ between overseas and domestic markets.
Even with the same product, the decision of which processes to consolidate into a single line and where to divide the processes depends on the specific product.
It varies depending on the equipment configuration of each factory.
Procedure manuals for overseas markets are tailored to the equipment and personnel allocation of the local factory.
If this process is simply carried over to a local factory in Japan,
Normally, tasks that can be processed in one factory can be handled together.
This often leads to having to request the work to be divided into multiple stages.
When the process is divided into separate steps, setup changes, inspections, and transportation are required each time.
Because domestic small factories often provide estimates for each process,
The more steps involved, the more likely costs are to increase.
We'll see how much of the work is entrusted to one company and where it's divided.
When putting together an estimate,
The first thing we look at is which processes can be consolidated and entrusted to a single factory.
If a factory is skilled in both processing and assembly, it's better to entrust them with multiple processes together.
This reduces the number of steps required and makes it easier to keep costs down.
Another thing we're looking at is the scope of outsourcing only the assembly while supplying the parts,
This is about defining the scope of work, including material procurement.
The more advantageous option will vary from project to project, depending on the supplier and cost of the materials.
- Is the factory capable of handling everything from processing to assembly in-house?
- If parts are supplied, how much will the procurement and inventory effort increase for the supplying party?
- If the process is divided, how much will the number of transportation and inspections increase?
An example of rearranging the process and distributing it among multiple local factories.
Instead of simply following the procedures written in overseas manuals,
We have considered a method of rearranging processes to suit the strengths of each of the multiple small factories.
In one project, the parts were supplied and only the assembly was outsourced to one company.
We compared different approaches, where the entire process, from material procurement to processing and assembly, is outsourced to a single company.
Because different factories specialized in different parts, we used a combination of supplying parts directly and placing bulk orders for each process.
We were able to reduce the number of setup changes required throughout the entire process.
If you keep the order of the steps written in the procedure manual the same, and only divide the factories that are responsible for each step,
This duplication of procedures is difficult to eliminate.
The entire process structure needs to be reviewed to match the configuration of domestic factories.
Instruction manuals are not meant to be copied, but rather used as materials for rearranging.
The approach to adapting overseas-specification procedure manuals for domestic use is as follows:
This is not limited to changes in tariff policies like this one,
This can be used for all aspects of outsourcing manufacturing, including shifting production from overseas to domestically.
Instead of simply accepting the steps written in the instruction manual as the correct procedure,
Reframe the process as the necessary steps to produce that product,
It's best to think in terms of rearranging things to match the strengths of the factory you're in charge of.
MACHICOCO handles everything from process planning to selecting the processing location.
MACHICOCO is a company based in Higashi-Osaka.
We manage product development projects in collaboration with engineers at local factories.
We don't own large-scale facilities in-house; instead, we collaborate with engineers specializing in each stage of the process.
In consultations like this one, where manufacturing is shifting from overseas to domestic production, the question is how to rearrange the processes in the procedure manual.
Should we supply the parts ourselves or place a bulk order?
We'll start by considering how to define the boundaries of which factory will be responsible for what tasks.
We can handle everything from design verification and prototyping to subsequent considerations for mass production.
When seeking advice, having the current procedure manual and the actual item in hand will expedite the process.
It would be helpful if you could send it when you come for a consultation.
- The overseas instruction manual you are currently using (if any)
- Product photos or actual item
- Drawings showing dimensions (if available)
- Product usage and operating environment
- Expected quantity
Drawings are not required.
Even before the processing method is decided, we can consider manufacturing methods while looking at drawings and actual samples.
